


Sing A Song But Don't Believe

by troubledsouls



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: more characters to add when they do the appearnce thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-25 23:08:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4980181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/troubledsouls/pseuds/troubledsouls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Josh is completely confused as to why he can catch himself on fire.</p>
<p>Josh is also confused as to how he's in a band.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Josh

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PastelMess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelMess/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Light a Match and All I'll See is You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4175058) by [PastelMess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelMess/pseuds/PastelMess). 
  * Inspired by [We Don't Believe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4553583) by [PastelMess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelMess/pseuds/PastelMess). 



> soo... yes  
> this is gonna flip between the light a match josh and our josh so light a match josh's chapters are gonna be called fire josh and our josh's chapters are just gonna be called josh  
> i hope it makes sense??? maybe not oh well  
> you can probably read this without reading light a match but i suggest reading at least the first couple chapters of we don't believe  
> i’m gonna say it’s about 6 months after the end of light a match  
> melanie martinez is my go-to music for writing  
> also present tense because i’m having trouble with past for some reason at this point in time  
> [powers list + some notes for myself in parentheses (please tell me if the link doesn't work)](https://docs.google.com/document/d/13w6-gpHmNbP8vIYPYk2hDlP55O_vSQCLrzxzSp6zAyc/edit?usp=sharing)  
> as a firm believer in top josh there will be no smut
> 
> title from blasphemy by tyler joseph

Josh wakes up with someone's arms around him in a room that is very, very unfamiliar.

Well, it's not really waking up, more like be blinked and now he's not on stage. Definitely not on stage. Not behind drums. Lying down.

He can feel himself begin to panic.

There’s drums in the corner of the room, and Josh tries to latch onto those, but they aren’t _his_ drums.

He feels a strange feeling on his hands and smells smoke. He looks at his hands and screams.

_He's on fire._

Josh screams again and rolls off the bed, out of the grip of whoever's holding him, because _holy fucking shit he's on fire_.

“Josh?”

That’s Tyler’s voice, and Josh latches onto that like a lifeline, it’s the only familiar thing right now.

“I’m on fire!” He gasps out, because it feels like something’s sucking air from his lungs and he’s surprised he had enough just to get out those simple words.

“Think cool thoughts, come on Josh, you’ve done this before.” Tyler rolls off the bed and crouches in front of Josh.

 _No, I actually haven’t!_ Josh thought. He reaches out blindly to grab Tyler before remembering that his hand is on fire, and that sends another wave of panic rolling over him.

Part of his mind is still trying to process that he’s not getting hurt from the fire.

Josh pulls his knees up to his chest, starting to feel dizzy.

“I’m getting Spencer.” Tyler says, and Josh feels like he’s hearing it said from across a room.

Josh has no concept of time passing before he suddenly feels calm, and the sudden change sends a jolt through his brain.

“Hey, Josh, I need you to think cool thoughts.” Tyler’s voice cuts through Josh’s mind. 

“Ice?” Josh mumbles. His vision is blurry.

“Ease up a bit.” Tyler says, and Josh feels slightly less drugged-out.

“Ice.” Josh repeats, more firmly, and the flames start to die down.

“Ice is good.” Tyler agrees, sitting beside Josh as the last of the flames go out. “What happened?”

“I, uh...” It suddenly occurs to Josh that this is another Josh’s life. He didn’t want to ruin it for this other Josh.

The idea of another Josh is also making his brain hurt.

“I don’t remember a lot.” Josh decides to say.

Tyler frowns. “Can you walk? I’m gonna take you to Dallon.”

Josh stops himself from asking how Dallon is going to help him.

However, “Dallon’s a bass player,” slips past his lips.

Tyler just sighs, standing up. “Need help?”

Josh nods, uncurling himself and grabbing Tyler’s outstretched hand. Tyler pulls him up with a soft hiss of pain, and when Josh lets go, he sees Tyler is burned.

“Oh. I’m an oven.” Josh says, then bursts into laughter.

“Spencer, seriously, let it up.” Tyler says.

Josh feels less calm, and it makes him stop laughing.

“Come on.” Tyler says, and walks out of the room.

Josh follows him, Spencer trailing behind.

The halls are winding, and Josh feels himself getting lost. Thankfully, it’s not too many turns before they arrive at another room. Tyler quickly opens the door. “Dallon? Josh has a problem.”

Tyler ushers Josh inside, and he sees Dallon and Brendon sitting on the bed in the room. He still feels unnaturally calm, considering the situation.

“What kind of problem?” Dallon stands up, looking Josh up and down.

“I think some kind of memory loss?” Tyler says. “Also, can you fix my hand?”

“Sure.” Dallon gently takes Tyler’s hand and presses it between his hands. After a moment he lets go, and Tyler is _healed_.

“How…?” Josh starts, and then stops himself. This Josh would know.

Dallon frowns. “That’s weird.”

“What’s weird?” Josh clearly hears the worry in Tyler’s voice.

“I had to reconnect...” Dallon stares at Josh. “Spencer, pull everything back.”

Josh suddenly does not feel calm, he certainly feels panicked and confused about the entire situation.

“What’s the last thing you remember, and be honest, because I can tell when you're lying.” Dallon half asks, half demands. 

“I, um, was onstage.” Josh begins, aware that he’s about to royally fuck up this Josh’s life. “With Tyler. We were doing Holding Onto You, and then I blinked and open my eyes here. In bed. With Tyler. Which is not something i ever expected really.” He laughs nervously. “Because he’s married. Not to me.”

“Well.” Dallon huffs out a breath.

“And we’re supposed to believe that?” Brendon scoffs.

“Shut up.” Tyler snaps.

“We should get you something to eat.” Spencer suggests. “But Josh, you might wanna cool down first.”

“Cool. Right.” Josh stares at his hands. “Ice.”

After a few minutes, Tyler gently touches his arm. “Come on.”

“Okay.” Josh says, and follows Tyler out of the room.

“We might wanna get dressed.” Tyler says with a laugh, leading Josh back to the room he ‘woke’ up in. It feels unnatural to call it his room, or his and Tyler’s room.

“Right.” Josh is just in boxers, so is Tyler. Somehow, he’s not feeling as self-conscious as he normally does. Probably because it's Tyler. 

"Don't tell the others." Tyler says after shutting the door to the room. "They might freak."

"Okay..." Josh searches through the clothes on the floor, finding a t-shirt and skinny jeans. 

Tyler lets out a small laugh, pulling on a similar set of clothing. "Those are mine."

"There's never really a distinction anymore." Josh says without thinking, and Tyler laughs. 

"Look, Josh..." Tyler lays a hand on Josh's shoulder, tone suddenly serious. "I think you're just caught up in a dream."

"Oh." Josh wonders what's happened to this Josh. 

"It'll probably wear off soon, then you'll remember." Tyler sighs.

"Okay." Josh says. 

"Dallon's used to you freaking out over them, just... I'm worried about him having to reconnect to your mind." Tyler plants a quick kiss on Josh's cheek. "Come on, let's get some food in you. Maybe that'll help."

"Okay." Josh repeats. Of course, nobody from this Josh's life wouldn't believe him. He didn't believe himself either. 

"Come on." Tyler walks out of the room, and Josh follows him.

Tyler takes Josh to a room with several tables. "Sit down with Pete and Patrick, I'll get us food."

Josh nods, looking around the room for a few seconds before finding Pete. He's sitting with someone Josh assumes is Patrick. He's never seen Patrick without a hat on. 

Josh walks across the room and sits beside Pete. 

"Josh!" Pete grins, slapping him on the back. 

"Hi." Josh smiles feebly. 

Patrick waves, and then Josh jumps as Patrick's voice sounds in his head. 'Sleep well?'

"I, uh. Yes?" Josh stammers. 

Patrick laughs. 'Did you forget that I can't talk?'

"Maybe? I wasn't expecting it." Josh manages a smile.

Tyler sits down beside Josh, setting a plate in front of him. "Hi guys."

Patrick smiles and Josh assumes he says something in Tyler's mind because Tyler laughs and says. "Josh just had a bad dream. He's a bit disoriented."

Josh cuts a bite of the waffle and chews it slowly, looking around the room. His eyes land on bright red hair. He freezes. _Holy shit that's Gerard Way_. 

"You okay?" Pete asks, noticing Josh's sudden stillness. 

Josh nods and swallows hard. "It's nothing."

Mikey and Frank are beside Gerard, and Josh is hyper-aware that he's in the same room as 3/4ths of My Chemical Romance.

'What's so special about Gerard?' Patrick asks. 

"I, uh, nothing." Josh forces himself to look away. My Chemical Romance might not exist in this world, and he doesn't want to seem weird. 

After a few more bites Josh decides that he doesn't feel all that well, because the small amount of food in his stomach is making him nauseous. 

"Games today." Pete says into their tables silence. 

"It's on, Josh." Tyler says, elbowing Josh. 

Josh nods. "You sure?"

Tyler closes his eyes and leans his head back. He opens his eyes and grins at Josh. His eyes are _red_. Blurry's red. "Oh, I'm sure. I can take you any day."

"Oh." Josh feels like his blood is running cold. 

"Something wrong?" Red-eyed-Tyler raises his eyebrows slightly, turning his attention back to his food. 

"No?" Josh says, voice rising at the end so that it comes out as a question. 

"Jesus, Blurry, stop scaring him." Pete says. 

"I haven't been out in a while, I'm bored." Red-eyed-Tyler (Pete called him Blurry, is he really Blurryface?) sighs. 

"I thought he was just a concept." Josh blurts out, still staring at Blurry-Tyler. 

"What?" Blurry-Tyler snaps his head to look at Josh, and oh shit, his eyes really look like the contacts. 

"Nothing, nothing." Josh says. He really does feel like he'll throw up. 

"You're warmer than usual, what's wrong?" Blurry-Tyler's eyes drain to brown. 

"Nothing, I just don't feel that good." Josh admits. 

'You've probably just slept too much.' Patrick jokes, and apparently that was sent to Tyler too, because he laughs.

"I'd believe that." Tyler says with a smile. 

“I’ve got a fight with Mikey.” Pete says casually. “He’s been dodging it ever since he left the door unlocked.”

Josh feels like he should know about this event.

“Petekey.” Tyler whispers, and Pete reaches across the table to hit him on the arm.

“I will fight you.”

“Go for it.” Tyler crosses his arms and leans back.

‘Next time.’ Patrick says, twirling his fork between his fingers.

“Hey, Josh!” Josh whirls around at a familiar voice.

Ashley smiles at him. “You finishing your food? Somebody,” a pointed glance at Gerard, “ate whatever was left in the kitchen,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i apologize if halsey ends up being bad characterization i dont like her music


	2. Fire Josh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh wakes up in front of a drum kit.
> 
> He knows he certainly didn’t fall asleep in front a drum kit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta daaaaaaa

Josh wakes up in front of a drum kit.

He knows he certainly didn’t fall asleep in front a drum kit.

And something unfamiliar is playing around him, and there’s _a screaming crowd_.

There’s Tyler, with black paint over his neck and hands.

Josh forces down the panic. Okay, he’s playing with Tyler, at a concert.

As Tyler starts singing, Josh doesn’t recognize the song.

But he feels like he should play.

So he does.

He let’s the music flow through him, and judging by Tyler’s strange looks, it’s not what the song is supposed to be.

Josh feels like he’s gonna throw up.

In fact, all his anxiety should be making him hot, the wooden drumsticks should be smoldering, but they’re not.

He shoves it to the back of his mind.

He’s very good at that.

After the song is over, Tyler walks up to him. "Dude, you okay?"

"I feel sick." Josh says, which is the truth. 

"The next song is Ride, remember that?"

"Um." Josh thinks. "Is that a Blurryface song?" Blurryface writes songs, and the title seems like one of his. 

"Yeah. You sure you're feeling okay? Maybe we should stop the show?" Tyler has concern written all over his face. 

"Um. Maybe just a couple more songs. I can make it through that." Josh says. 

"Alright, we'll nix the encore." Tyler smiles, then walks back to the front of the stage. "Josh isn't feeling too well, so we're not gonna do our encore tonight. Sorry! Anyways, here we go!"

Josh and Blurry had been working on something called Ride the day before. 

Josh tries to remember the drums from it and plays.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josh is pretty sure he messed up Car Radio. 

He's also pretty sure he should be on fire. 

But all he can think about is Tear In My Heart, how it was she instead of he. Tyler and Blurry wrote that song for him. 

Tyler never covers his hands anymore, but they were covered with the black paint. 

They were in a band. 

Nothing made sense. 

Tyler walks up to him, where he's leaning against the wall, head spinning. 

Tyler talks to Josh, but he feels like he's hearing it through a thick door. His world is slightly blurred, too, and he barely registers his quick, uneven breathing. 

"I don't feel good." He mumbles, before crumpling to the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josh wakes up in what he assumes is a tour bus bunk. 

His head hurts. 

In his dazed and disordered mind, he thinks back to a conversation he and Tyler had had about a year ago. 

Was this their rock star universe?

That made a lot of sense. 

What didn't make sense was why he was in it. 

Where was the one who came from here?

"Oh. Oh, shit." He says aloud. 

The other Josh must be in his world. 

That made him want to throw up all over again. 

"Josh?" Tyler says. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Josh whispers. 

"We have a day off tomorrow, so you'll be able to recover better."

"Okay."

"We're almost to the hotel. Can you walk?"

"Yeah." Josh awkwardly gets out of the bunk and leans against the wall, smiling at Tyler. 

Tyler smiles back. 

Josh can't help but let his eyes wander over Tyler's body. This Tyler is hot too, thankfully. 

His eyes drift to the tattoo on Tyler's bicep, and he almost starts when he sees it's almost the same as the one his Tyler has, how there's also a C over the X. 

"Um." He vocalizes. 

"You okay?" Tyler asks, concern washing over his face. 

"Probably?" It comes out as a question. 

"I didn't feel a fever. You felt kinda cold, actually." Tyler leans against the wall and undoes a pendant from around his neck, making a face. "This thing burned me onstage."

"That's weird." Josh is amazed he's even able to talk. 

"Yeah..." Tyler looks up at Josh. "Just before you started acting weird, actually. Did you forget your parts?"

"Sorta. I got distracted by you." The last bit slips out, and Josh struggles to maintain a straight face. 

Luckily, Tyler isn't weirded out and he laughs. "Good job."

Josh smiles. 

Tyler looks at him again and frowns. "Maybe you should lie down. You did faint. How are you feeling?"

"Kinda dizzy." Josh admits. "But I'm okay now." He shoves down the want to kiss Tyler. 

"Once we get to the hotel, you gotta promise me you'll sleep, okay?" Tyler smiles. 

Josh nods. "Got it."


End file.
